Series creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss raised our expectations for the second season – and then surpassed them. We are thrilled by all the viewer and media support we’ve received for the series, and can’t wait to see what Dan and David have in store for next season.

After Game of Thrones season 2 premiered to 3.86 million viewers (which is 1.64 million viewers more than the series premiere), fans of the show knew that a season 3 renewal was just around the corner. And with Game of Thrones producers already planning out season 3, 4 and beyond, it’s likely that they felt the same impending renewal as the fans.

While the second season will cover the majority of the novel “A Clash of Kings”, the next in the series, “A Storm of Swords,” is too large to be adapted into a single 10-episode season. With the intent to split the books across Game of Thrones season 3 and 4, series creators Benioff and Weiss are attempting to figure out the best way to present George R. R. Martin’s goliath novels to television audiences.

And if the past is any sign of what’s to come, it looks like the fantastical tales of the characters of Westeros will continue to be faithfully adapted for the television screen for many years to come.

…Of course, a 50% bump in ratings for the season 2 premiere doesn’t hurt their odds, either.